Cargill’s Leap at Blairgowrie

Here is a story from the land of a thousand manses…

In 1899, John MacDonald recorded the following fanciful tradition about Donald Cargill.

‘In 1679 the famous Rattray Covenanter, Donald Cargill, while on a visit to his parents at the Hatton of Rattray, was pursued by dragoons, and only escaped by leaping the Keith [on the River Ericht] above Blairgowrie.’

‘[Where] the Ericht rushes impetuously down a gorge, forming a cascade known as “The Keith.” Tradition points out this as the scene of Cargill’s leap, when he was pursued by the dragoons of Claverhouse.’ (MacDonald, History of Blairgowrie,43, 233.)

The information board at Cargill’s Leap. Photograph reproduced by the very kind permission of Angus McPake.

Cargill’s Leap lies in a narrow gorge on the River Ericht just upstream from Blairgowrie.

Cargill’s Leap Today. Photograph reproduced by the very kind permission of Angus McPake.

Skepticism?

Cargill’s father, Lawrence, died in 1657. In 1679, Cargill would have been over fifty. John Graham of Claverhouse was a captain of horse, rather than of dragoons, in 1679. Neither Claverhouse, nor Cargill, are recorded as being near Blairgowrie at that time.

I was brought up in Blairgowrie. I walked to school along the riverbank of the River Ericht. I was given a do or say when I was 12 years old and chose the dare, which meant I had to jump over Cargills leap which I did totally confident that my “say” would always be a secret.